Getting into K-Pop: The Pros and Cons

Since the beginning of 2010, there has been a new genre on the rise that has captivated the hearts of many young Americans...and the artists aren’t even American. Korean pop has rapidly expanded into the global audience, with concerts overseas and merchandise readily available. Some may be confused as to what is even going on. Others may want to step right into the fray. From someone who has only been four months into the K-Pop scene, here are a few pros and cons of joining:

PROS:

The workload is demanding. K-Pop stars are expected to sing, dance, and look good at the same time. This makes fans appreciate them even more, because coming from a performer, it is hard to do all three, let alone do one at a time.

If you want good looks, you’ve come to the right place. With or without makeup, these stars are glowing.

Songs vary in genre, but they are all bangers. A few of my favorites include EXO-CBX’s “Ka-Ching” and Suran’s “Wine.”

CONS:

You’d do well to avoid Twitter unless you are specifically following BTS. From what I have heard, Twitter is a main hub for the occasional energetic fan to start bashing other groups in an attempt to make theirs look good (It doesn’t.).

As someone who does not live in South Korea, you may not get the full experience and catching up will be tiring. When your favorite group drops their album at 5AM and you have your finals that day, you will have to prioritize - your future or the moment?

Merchandise is money. Any other album is $7 at the very least. With a K-Pop album, you’d be lucky if it was on sale for $20. (However, this is because along with music, it comes with photos and posters and other fun stuff).

If you’re a performer and you want to cover a K-Pop song either through dance or vocals, good luck. That’s all I have to say on the matter.

In short, K-Pop is a world of its own, far different from American pop and even European pop. Keeping up is a demanding task, but it’s very rewarding. Whether you may end up a casual or a fanatic, there is no denying that it will leave a mark on you for life.